


All that Glitters

by JellyFicsnFucks



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Hiatus, Underfell characters - Freeform, have to post before it deletes >, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-11-15 08:56:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18070340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JellyFicsnFucks/pseuds/JellyFicsnFucks
Summary: Hiatus "Mermaids are worth a pretty penny in the north." Muffet notes out loud. "Apparently there's a rumor humans share that its blood cures any ailment. Eating its flesh grants unnatural powers and if you eat its heart  you become immortal."After being thrown off a boat, Muffet, Sans, Alphys, Grillby, and Undyne find themselves stranded on an island with mer!paps.Notes:Added a new ending for those of you who have read this before.  Look for  a line of ¯\(ツ)/¯ guys.** this fic was originally in 1st pov.  I tried to change it,  sorry for any mistakes.





	All that Glitters

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for being gone from this fandom for so long.  
> I've taken some stories with me when I left, so please excuse the mess while I re-upload old work.  
> Thanks for voting on Twitter! I will be sure to upload all the incomplete messes ahahaa  
> I'm really surprised to have a following of people who like my stuff, so thank you for the love and support. The messages I've gotten mean the world to me and it makes me terrified to let you down.  
> ฅ(๑’Δ’๑) I'm really sorry to leave you hanging for so long. Thankyou.

  


Sans remembered thinking to himself, as the world faded from sight and he sunk lower and lower into the depths of the ocean, _"Everyone dies."_ It didn’t matter that monsters escaped to the surface. It didn’t matter that he’d been free from the cycle of resets. _Hell,_ it didn’t even matter that he was born in Underfell. Monsters, humans, undefined by code or the instinct to kill… everyone and everything still had to follow the same fate of death. It was inescapable. Despite his good deeds, despite his best efforts… despite the doctor saving monsters from the savagery of daily murders… Despite being saved by friends, despite being lucky enough to travel the world, he sank to the bottom of the ocean. Drowning.

When he hit the floor of the ocean floor he remembered staring up at the rippling surface of water, feeling pathetic that he couldn’t reach it. It felt so close… so close and yet he couldn’t swim anymore. His eyes didn’t burn in the salty water, through water filled him- flush against every cavern in his skull and sent a numbing chill through the magic coursing through him.

In his final moments he was able to see everything clearly. 

He could see the sun’s brilliant rays of light shine even in these dark depths. He saw his crewmates drowning, struggling to survive even though Sans had given up. It's over. Many of them have never learned to swim, despite traveling on the ocean. As the son of the doctor, privileged and sheltered from the brutality of the underground, he never learned to swim. When their boat was overtaken Sans couldn’t even fight. He never learned. Never had too. He tried to paddle to stay afloat, but its been hours since they were pushed off the boat. His arms weren’t built to stay afloat. Water too easily sloshed between the gap in his radius and ulna.He was tired. Too tired to save his own life. He’d given up.

That’s how Sans died.

...

But if that were true, why was he still breathing?

\---

He opened his eyes now, watching the sun over the horizon. He couldn’t tell if the ball of light was rising or setting. It looked frozen in time. Frozen in place. A glorious red sun low on the horizon. He tears his eye lights away, unsure if he would go blind staring at it. 

He looked around, spotting a few crewmates. The five of them stay afloat on a makeshift raft out of driftwood and seaweed. The logs were moving slowly on the ocean, but at least they were moving. But the raft had no sail and the ocean had no current… _are we really moving? Yes, there are streaks in the water from one direction. We're being dragged._

He looked in the opposite direction of the streaks, expecting to see a rope tied to a ship. But there isn't any insight. Instead, a single monster is swimming in the ocean pulling their tiny raft. _Did this man rescue us?_ Sans took a look at the five survivors on the raft, they are still unconscious. He looks back to the monster swimming.

"Hey," He spoke, trying to get his attention but his voice cracks. Sans coughed up, heaving a burp of seawater. He forces a cough again just to clear his throat. "You saved us didn’t you? … Where are the others?" He lifts up his shirt and takes a look at his ribs, a small ecto stomach had been unconsciously summoned. Full of gross sloshing water. He closed his eyes and focussed his magic to dispel. When it does the water falls through his bones, wetting himself.

The swimming monster turns towards him suddenly. It spooks Sans a little to make eyes with the other. A skeleton. He thought he was the last one. Him and Gaster… and after the old man died…

Their eyes grow wide when they see each other. The monster in the sea surprised someone had woke up. In his mouth is the rope he is using to tug the raft, so he can't speak. He lies still like a deer caught in headlights. Sans cocks his head to the right. If he didn’t know any better he’d say the monster was afraid of him, but why? If he’d saved their sorry asses from drowning he probably already got a look at the crew.

Without any conversation the monster turns back and continues to swim, making long elegant strides through the water. His lanky arms make long arcs above the water, swimming with better ease than what Sans had flopped around with. It puts his stupid dog paddle to shame. There wasn’t much else he could do on the raft, so he watched this monsters narrow shoulders as he tugs the raft with each stroke.

The swimmer was very slender, tall. … Sans swore he had never seen another monster like him on the ship. He certainly would have remembered seeing such a strikingly handsome monster.. _Was he also thrown off the boat? It's lucky one of us knew how to swim._ Sans took a look at what little of his crew remained. … The others must be gone. Dead.

_I want to go home._

He was a fool to think that he could break apart from his father's business and choose his own path. He wanted to start fresh on a new land somewhere across the world. The ferry should have only taken a month to reach land…. But the ocean is dangerous. He should have known better. The ocean is a place without law. Humans, thieves, monsters, pirates… anyone looking to extort civilians would attack and could attack. 

Life outside the palace is dangerous. If he survived this, If he could get back to land. He wanted to go home. He’ll obey Dr. Gaster’s last wishes. He’ll get married and settle down. He’d inherit his stupid kingdom of refugee monsters. He wouldn’t run away from responsibility or home. He swore it.

"Ugh…. feels like I got smashed by a boulder." Sans snapped his head to look to his right, spotting his crewmate and friend Undyne who had just woken up. She looks around, confused. Then her eyes fall on Sans. "Red, you’re here too? What happened to the boat?!"

“Looks like we're the lucky ones. This guy over here, pulled us from the water." He nudged his head towards the monster in the water, but it's only now that he realized it's getting darker. There are shadows on everyone's faces. The sun was setting. "Hey," He called the man in the water. "Take a break, it's getting dark."

The swimming monster doesn’t look towards them. He doesn’t show any sign he’s listening. Undyne shifts and looks over the edge to see their savior. "Who's that hot piece of-?"

“Shush- He was probably maintanence or part of the original crew. He was thrown off like us."

"I don’t think so." Undyne says, clicking her tongue.

"Hmm?" Sans looked at the swimmer, blissfully ignoring them.

"He was probably a stowaway… maybe even cargo."

"Cargo? " Sans keeps his voice down. “The hell you mean, Undyne? Like he’s a… thing?”

"He’s a skeleton, Red."

"That doesn’t mean anything."

"Come on..." Undyne urges him. She rolls her eyes and starts to squeeze water from her hair. "You know as well as I do that the doctor was into some freaky cloning shit to ‘preserve the species’ and whatever … I mean, he loved you. Kept you… but you can’t pretend the doc didn’t do some shady shit. He probably inseminated lots’a monsters across the world. Transporting them like goods or for show.”

“Please don’t speak of him that way… you know how I hate it…”

“He’s gone, Red.”

“Yeah… but I still feel like he’s watching... Just.. don’t say his name. Okay? Besides, it’s rude to talk about people that are listening, right?”

“He’s not- … yeah okay, Red. Sure. My point is this monster is probably leftovers from a deal gone sour. Hell… maybe he’s the reason why our ship got overtaken.”

Sans takes a long stare at the monster. Able to see very little now that the sun was creeping down. Undyne had always been his friend. He knew how she exaggerated and loved to tell tall tales… but this theory of hers somehow seemed plausible. _Nah that can't be it._ Sans shook his head of the thought. The easiest way to get answers was just to ask. He waved his hands in the water and splashed the swimmer to try to get his attention. "Hey, swimmer… can you hear me? Thanks for saving us. … Its getting dark you should stop. … you don’t need to pull the raft. Come up here so we can talk, kay? I have some questions for ya."

The monster barely turns an eye towards Sans. He tilts his head, then ignores him and continues paddling. Swimming in a straight line… somewhere. There didn’t appear to be any land in any direction.

"Maybe he's deaf. Or dumb." Undyne sits back down. "Maybe he’s both. Mentally not all there? Ya know… you were the only complete product anyhow."

“Stop, Undyne. That creeps me out.”

The sun has set now. Sans leaned over and poked the nape of the swimming skeleton’s neck. He jumped, startled at being touched. He turns towards Sans, breathing heavily. It must be tiring pulling five adults across the ocean. But Sans had to give him some credit for persisting, if it wasn't for him they really would have died. "Hey, take a rest." Sans whispered "its sunset." He points to the dying orange and red miasma in the distance to emphasize meaning.

The skeletons eyes light up, he stared at Sans for a while. Then with a heavy accent he spoke something weird. " Papyrus."

"Papyrus?" Undyne and SAns both tilt their head to the side, repeating the word. The skeleton nods. He turns around to face them and lays his arms over the raft so he can take a break. He points to himself. "Papyrus.” He says again.

"I think that’s the clones name." Undyne laughs. She slaps a heavy palm against her own chest now. " UNDYNE. UN- DIE- NE!” Sans could almost laugh at her and this caveman talk, but he’s still unsettled by the talk of clones. There was so much he couldnt ask the doctor about… but he doesn't let the dour look show on his face. He gives Papyrus a friendly smile, a toothy grin.

"Sans." Papyrus looked between the two of them, kicking in place as he treads the water. He nods his head, understanding names at the very least. Sans, again, tries to relay his gratitude. He held out his hand. "Thank you. For saving us." Papyrus looked offended at the hand. Hsi sharp red eyes snap between the kind gesture and Sans’s face. He cocks his head slightly, unsure what to do.

"Must not know it’s a custom." Undyne sighs. She picks up one of Papyrus’s hands from the raft and tries to help him onboard. As soon as Papyrus realizes this he jumps back, he snags his hand away from Undyne and nearly snarls, baring his sharp teeth like an animal. "The heck's wrong with him?" Undyne raises an eyebrow.”

"Maybe he thinks you're gonna supplex him." Sans laugh. It felt good to laugh, it seems he can laugh easily now that he had just faced death. His chest feels lighter, fresh air filled his rib cage.

Papyrus watched them, confused by the exchange but even he can tell that a laugh is light hearted. He lifts the rope back into his mouth and starts to swim again, pulling the raft curtly. Undyne falls down on her ass. Where she sits mostly for the rest of the night. The others stir awake. Although Sans can't see their faces, they introduce themselves as Grillby, Muffet, and Alphys. They talk throughout the night, listening to Papyrus’s quiet gasps and splashes as he continues to pull the raft. He doesn’t take a rest.

Grillby used to be an assistant cook on the ship. It's a wonder how the monster made of flame was able to stay together in the water. He looks withered in a way… his light is orange and wanes like an old flashlight. He doesn’t tell them much about himself. He’s a quiet man who kept to himself mostly. He pulled out a pack of smokes from his pocket, but they are soggy so he sits in the corner, chewing a wet cigarette. Perhaps it lit in his mouth? Sans didn't ask.

Muffet was a merchant who was told she could stay on the boat until it reached a port in a city Sans had never heard of. She appears to be the same age as Grillby, with just as much experience on running a business. She wears tattered clothes, but with fashion being as it is, Sans was unsure if it was like that before they had been thrown overboard. Her hair is black like her many eyes, but tangled into knots with the seawater. She spends most of the night combing through it with her fingers and telling horror stories of the underground. She laughs at his own stories. And makes up obvious lies of haunted ruins and mystic creatures. She tells them she once caught the eye of a handsome snake prince and in another story that she angered a griffin by stepping on his tail.

Alphys is a small, hunched over scientist that Sans knew well enough. She was one of his attendants back when… uh… home was a small holding cell. She is his friend, practically his older sister. She’s wise, and kind… and always took care of him. She was Gasters assistant, but she also became Sans’s attendant when he was taken home. Sans didn’t ask why she followed him when he left Gasters house and set out for a new adventure. He just accepted it. He was glad to see she made it too.

But Alphys doesn’t show any affection for him. She only bows her head, in servitude. Although we have left home, far away from the doctors influence, she does not speak out towards Sans. Words are often rarely shared between them. Perhaps it was because the scientist felt guilty of the conditions Sans grew up in… perhaps she was just nervous to speak with others. There were gaps in Sans’s memory of the few times they did talk. Sometimes he wondered what her voice sounded like, she spoke too few now a days and when Undyne joined their travels she was too flustered to speak at all. She does not talk tonight, so this isn't an exception. Instead she lended Sans her shoulder and her coat. Wordlessly, she stays by his side.

They spend a whole day and a half on the ocean. Sans’s stomach growled in pain. He knew that he shouldn’t be hungry... There are people less fortunate who haven't eaten in weeks…. But the six of them can barely make it a day without whining and complaining about food. Quite the spoiled bunch.

An island comes into view. Papyrus, who had been swimming throughout the night, looks relieved to see the island. He's exhausted.

As the island gets closer and closer, Papyrus seemed to spring to life. With renewed vigor, he cuts through the water and doesn’t stop. He’s like a machine the way he swims. He’s tired, but by giving it his all he gets them to the island faster. Though he doesn’t have any strength left by the time a shore is visible. He stopped pulling the raft with his teeth and tried to push it from the other side.

The raft finally reached sand. The five of them who suck at swimming stumble through the shallow water, grateful for a footing. Even Grillby braces himself against the water at his feet to escape the emptiness of water. Muffet drops to her knees and vomits right there. Undyne and Alphys are staggering through the waves trying to get closer to shore. Sans lingers. Offering a hand out to Papyrus, who had helped them get this far. _He's exhausted, figures. He really saved our ass._ Papyrus just collapsed over half the raft. Sans jogged up to his side and offered him some help. The taller skeleton is breathing heavily, his eye sockets are near empty, eyelids of bone heavy. He hasn’t slept Sans realized. Papyrus gives a small, fluttery eyed look at Sans, then at his feet, glad the monster can stand. His rowing had paid off so now he finally closes his eyes for a much deserved rest.

Sans looked down at his feet. Sans looked over at Papyrus’s feet. Sans looked at his feet. Sans looked at his fins. Sans stares at his fins.

_What the fuck?_

Undyne had take notice Sans was not following to land. She walked over to him. And the two stare at Papyrus. “What the hell is he? I mean… he rescued us but… “ Undyne babbles on but Sans mutes her. He is captivated by the red and pinkish white scales of ecto flesh that start under his iliac crest. The pattern extends all the way down to his fins. Sans shrugged his shoulders to whatever Undyne was saying, not sure what to make of this.

 _Is he a skeleton? A fish? Is he even a monster?_ _Obviously Papyrus isn’t a human but…_ Something so strange had never been sighted in the underground. Shyren came close… but she was two monsters acting as one… a slug and a fish… _Maybe its two monsters here too… a skeleton and a fish fin thing..._ He gets a little closer to see if he can find the division in their bodies.

A soft snore comes out of Papyrus’s mouth. In the moment he falls completely asleep the raft tips over from the uneven weight. He falls into the shallow water. Sans sinks to his knees, quickly picking him up before he drowns. _Will he even drown? Does he breath water? Does he need air???_

"Don’t touch that thing!" Undyne growls. "That aint natural!! There's no way the doc made something so … grotesque. That thing is from the surface!" She makes wide eyes at them.

"But he saved us." Sans retorted, knees sinking into the sand. Waves splashed up and nearly toppled him over. " I can’t let him drown!" _Assuming he can drown… I don’t quite understand, but I wont let my savior die._ Undyne and Sans hold a staring contest for a long time, neither of them backing down. There is a shout from land suddenly.

"IT’S A Mermaid!!" Muffet shouts with such enthusiasm. "Quickly, bring it to the shore!" At her yell she draws the attention of the others who stare, from the safety of the beach, at Papyrus in wonder. Horrid looks spread through their eyes. Sans can understand, he also feels a bit startled. _It's hard to absorb. We were saved by a myth. What the hell._

Sans drug his dead weight body towards the shore and into the sand. The five of them crown around his sleeping figure, not giving Papyrus much space but he can't tell now. He's deep asleep. Soft snores alert the group that he won't be waking up soon.

"Mermaids are worth a pretty penny in the north." Muffet notes out loud. "Apparently there's a rumor humans share that its blood cures any ailment. Eating its flesh grants unnatural powers and if you eat its heart you become immortal."

"I'm hungry." Grillby grunts. "Its just a fish right? Bones don’t look like much but there's meat and muscle on its tail. Immortality is just a plus."

"What!" Sans pushes at their shoulders, trying to break up this madness. "You can't just eat a person! He saved us all! That’s like cannibalism!"

"He's technically not a monster. Doesn’t look like one." Grillby spits. The husk of spit is actually a smoldering rock. On the sand, Grillby seems to be gaining more power. "It's not cannibalism. I'm not saying it's right… just curious." Grillby bites his thumb and looks at Muffet for clarification. "Immortality like… never dieing? Or that lame immortality like eternal youth?"

Sans gaped, his jaw hung open wide enough to break the small hinge off his jowl. " You guys can't seriously be considering this! We would have all died if not for Papyrus! Look, we're on land, there's probably a town nearby. Let’s get some help and some grub in our bellies! You aren't thinking rationally." His stomach growls, betraying him. Everyone was hungry.

Already Grillby is sizing up his prize. "Should I descale him?"

"Don’t touch him." A smooth feminine voice speaks up from beyond the hoard. Alphys walks towards them, fruit in hand. "Theres plenty to eat here." She throws a pear at Grillby who catches it with ease, nearly burning it in his cast iron grip. Standing tall in her sweater vest and soggy pants, Alphys seems to be the most competent of everyone. She emanated confidence, something Sans knew was an act but even he couldn’t help but feel relieved by her interruption. She is a scientist; calm, methodical, and speaks in a callous,reprimanding voice. Sans hadn’t heard her voice in ages and yet she sounded so confident and strong he would have thought she were a different person entirely. The enemy backs off.

Undyne bends down now and hefts up the fish man on her shoulders, helping to bring him further inland. Sans stumbled to stand and follow. Everyone followed dumbly, looking to Alphys as their leader. He who controlled the food controlled their stomachs.

Muffet tuts her teeth together. "We should search for a town, Mermaids are worth more whole." She still hasn’t let up with selling out our savior. Sans gives her a curt glare, his magic illuminating his whole left eye. He’d try to be more intimidating if he could, but he could only light his one eye. It seemed to work anyhow. She raised her many hands up in defense. "Fine, fine." She sighs, trying to appease me. “Lets work with him instead. We could earn a lot of money from diving for pearls. He'll know right where to find the jewels. And if he doesn’t he can just ask the clams ."

"Fishmen don’t speak to fish." Grillby spits on the ground again, warding off some superstitious curse Sans didn’t know about. "it ain't gonna talk to clams, and it shouldn’t talk to us. The moment that thing speaks it will own your soul."

Now Undyne joins in on the fun. "Woah, woah..." She runs up from behind the group and catches up with Grillby, talking to him directly. "Are we sure taking it to land isn’t going to kill it? Don’t fish need water? We should find a shallow pool, a lake, a pond… something where he can't run away."

"Yes," Muffet agrees, apparently an expert. "Once a Mermaid dries out their scales darken. We cant let our valuable resources be ruined."

Grillby and Muffet talk about business while Undyne places Papyrus down by the base of a palm tree. Its shade should keep him cool. Muffet seemed to have all the answers, she says that Papyrus is a breed called mermaid, a race of half human half fish monsters. She calls him a thing. Grillby calls it dinner. Sans is appalled by the way they speak, but he hopes that it will change as soon as they find food and shelter.

Sans spoke up. "We should split into groups." Sans puffed out his chest, looking around at their makeshift group. Everyone looked horrible, worn out from the sea air. A low gurgle from Grillby’s stomach reminds them of their priorities. Sans makes an announcement. "We need to secure food, two of us should gather fruit while-"

"Who made you the fukin leader?" Grillby grits his teeth, or what remained of flame crinkled into the shape of a mouth. With his eyes dead set on Sans and a turn of his neck he makes an action to intimidate. "Don’t get ahead of yourself, brat." He spits again, this becoming something of a gross character trait of his. The loogi of spit burns up before landing on the sand, ash flies up in its place. Sans shirks back, afraid of the sparks. The fire monster was definitely getting stronger. "I say we eat it. It’s half human and humans bring nothing but trouble. They’ve killed our kind for stars knows how long. And this one’s a siren fish thing. They’re little devils. They hypnotize men! Zombifying them with a song and make them walk into the ocean!” The way Muffet nods to agree with him ensures his rant as truth. Sans had no idea if the claims were real or false or folklore. “ Then they rip bodies apart like tissue paper, and eat the innards when their prey still struggling for life!"

"What?!" Undyne snaps." I don’t want to be eaten!"

"That’s fuckin right," Grillby nods , his eyes wide to intimidate, or maybe its just fatigue from a restless night. "If your gonna keep this pet you better damn well gag it! When the creature speaks it takes your soul!"

"That’s ridiculous!" Sans yelled at him. "Papyrus saved us- why would he kill us?"

"Papyrus?! You already naming critters!?" Grillby pushes Sans; he's much older and stronger than him so his shove makes the frail skeleton fall back down into the sand. "Listen up, I'm in charge now. And I say we split up." Grillby points a jagged flame finger at Sans. "Since you're so intent to be civil why don’t you go and find a pretty town for us. Undyne, go with him. Make sure he doesn’t fall in a hole or something, shorty can't even save his own hide."

Sans bolted up, his magic boiled at the ache for a fight but a hand on his shoulder calms him if only slightly.Behind him Alphys steps forward, snapping a palm leaf in strips and starts to tie up Papyrus. She looks up at Grillby when she is done as if to ask him if this much will satisfy his whim. Even she was obeying him...

"Atta girl, look at stiff over there. That's someone who follows orders. Make those bonds tight, sweetheart. We don’t want him getting away. Then after, you and my pal Muffet are gonna search for some fruit got it? I'll stay with the freaky fish." He picks up a piece of driftwood from the shore and swings it back and forth to feel its weight. At first Sans thought he would use it as a club but instead the fire monster shoves it into his face, absorbing it like a sponge into his body. the flames that make up his being start to turn in color, the hazy yellow orange light change to something of a hotter hue, small purple embers shine through. "Whatcha staring at me for shorty? " He growls at Sans. "Go and find us a city. Better hurry, before fish boy dries up."

Alphys taps his shoulder, a small smile on her lips tries to assure him everything will be alright. _Will we be alright? Surely a city wouldn’t have such foliage around a beach. There would be ports for the ships to dock, there would be lifeguard posts for tourists. I know we're alone._ It's obvious to him and heading into that forest doesn’t seem like a bright idea. The important thing to do now is build a shelter and make a signal fire, but apparently Sans was not in charge. He brushed his shorts of sand and looked over at Undyne. They were paired together.

He heaved a sigh and looked back at the fish man, Papyrus, who lied exhausted against a palm tree. He sincerely hoped the other wouldn’t die by the time he got back… tieing him up seems so ungrateful towards the monster who painstakingly dragged them all from the ocean. He's resting so peacefully now. _From the waist up he looks just like a skeleton monster._ Sans rolls up his sleeves and begins walking with Undyne into the forest. _So why can such a little abnormality like fins make these people lose their minds? I mean… Undyne had fins… and Alphys, as a dinosaur, stands as a literal relic of the past… and Grillby; fuck! Grillby is sentient fire! He ate a log! There were things much more scarier than a siren… mermaid whatever. I mean… i’m freaked out too but he saved us. Or… is Grillby right? Do fish people eat others? Were we rescued for a snack? No that’s silly. Papyrus turned to us and smiled so innocently. He looked happy to see we were conscious._

These thoughts play in his head as the two journey deeper into the overgrown forest. Undyne walks by his side, silent. She's deep in thought as well. She bent over and picked up a dry branch, smacking it against the side of tree bark as they traveled. This expedition was pointless, they aren’t even in the densest part of the woods but both can see that this forest continues and continues, there isn't a path. There isn’t a road. It was doubtful there would be a city. The only thing that would happen if they continued in these woods is that the two would get lost. Already they can’t hear the ocean crash onto the beach, instead the sounds of small tropical birds and insects smack against them. Sans figures, he might as well bring back materials if they were going to stay out here. Dry kindling, logs, something to build a shelter… though Grillby might just chew that up.

"Hey Red, " Undyne speaks up. "I was thinking… you seem really intent to save that fish skeleton. From what the others are saying… I’m starting to think maybe it's not a clone. Maybe it really is a mermaid… or a siren. So uh… why do you want to help it?"

"Cuz… he saved us?" Sans raised his brow, elongating his skull. He didn’t think this was such a stretch to understand. He picked up a log as he past it. The underbelly of it reveals insects and larvae that squirm and dig into the ground now that their home has been discovered. Sans drops the log immediately, afraid bugs will start to crawl up his arm. Instead he focusses on small twigs and sticks like the one Undyne wields. "If we can get enough of these we'll build a place to sleep tonight. At the very least we can start a fire. It won’t put out as much hot air as Grillby, but the smoke should alert a rescue team. "

"…" Undyne stays quiet, but she abides. She picks up some snapped wooden twigs and leaves like Sans. "Hey Red? Sans... we've been friends for a long time. You'd tell me if you were a zombie right?"

"What?"

"Nothing…"

Sans scrunched up my face, confused by Undyne’s sudden question. She’d always been a little weird. She and Alphys watched a bit too many horror movies and anime on the surface. He didn’t spare it another thought. But they don’t talk much after that. They gather as much wood as they can hold and head back to the shore within the hour, tracing their steps through the trodden dirt.

Muffet is weaving a web for netting fish, Grillby is digging in the dirt with a broken seashell. He has a nice pile of sharpened seashell daggers by his feet. Beside him Papyrus has fallen over, still out cold. Undyne shrugs off the wood and walks over to Grillby and Muffet as soon as they are in sight, reporting that they couldn’t find anything. She points at Sans a few times, making wide hand gestures. But Sans doesn’t care for it, he is scanning the beach for the Alphys. She’s missing.

She should be back soon anyhow. She was the first to run into the jungle to find food she would know exactly where the fruit trees were. He turned his back on the lot conspiring against him and started to work on a shelter. He twisted the logs into the sand and propped them up with rocks, tying them together with leaves and weeds. It's hard without any help, but he manage despite having never gone camping before.

This was ridiculous. None of them were helping… and he could feel their eyes on him. He thought Undyne would be reasonable since she was with him when they first met Papyrus, but it seems he got swept in with the hype very easily. _Let them have their fun. They can laugh and spread rumors but… when nightfall comes they’ll all realise we need to start working together._

When Alphys returns the sun is already midway in the sky and beating down on them all, despite the cool breeze from the ocean. Sans felt embarrassed to do so but he had to take of his sweater to avoid the heat. He looked less bulky like this… small and pathetic compared to Grillby, who- when he took of his own white sleeved shirt- had a six pack of muscles. The girls just floated in the shallows to cool off. Alphys had taken off her coat and used it to carry supplies. It looks like she found lots.

"What took you so long?" Grillby asks her gruffly. Alphys doesn’t answer immediately. She knows a bully when she sees one. She first lays down the pile of fruit and redresses, pulling her arms through the thick sleeves even though it's hot out here. It made her look proffessional out of all the beach bums. Then she grabs a few fruit and looks around, spotting Sans. As soon as she does she starts to walk right over, ignoring Grillby completely. She hands Sans a mango and a couple oranges and sits with him on their side of the beach. Grillby doesn’t see this as mutiny, just as an annoyance as he follows Alphys and asks her the same question again.

"I was held up by a boar." Alphys explains. "I think I-uh- marched in on its territory, I had to climb up a tree and wait for it to leave."

"Good, boar means meat." Grillby says simply, he couldn’t have said it more like a caveman. He stalks back to his side of the beach with Muffet and Undyne. The three of them share a glance. Their voices become whispers. Whatever is going on they didn’t want Sans and Alphys to know. Grillby suddenly stops talking and he looks at them. "Hey stiff, get over here." Alphys points at herself and Grillby nods. She starts to stand, wiping sand from her pant legs. … She was going to leave Sans alone.

_Huh? Why the hell am I being excluded?_

Alphys gives Sans a fleeting glance, something too small to be comforting, and walks over to speak with the adults. Sans glared at them while those four speak in a circle. Their backs are turned to him.

 _Looks like I made an enemy of the group. No matter, I'll continue working. That lot will be happy when I've constructed a place for them to sleep._ Its shaping up nicely, the frame stood on its own now and it was large enough for two to lie down in. He’d make others when he had help. He stuffed an orange down his throat and got back to crafting a shelter.

Few birds hang in the sky around the island. The crashing of the waves on the shore becomes a pleasant white noise. The sand is hot and unlike the others who have found shade in a palm tree, Sans was baking in the hot sun. He wondered his bone could get sunburn. He was scorching. The beach was so close too, he wanted to wash up a bit… but somehow the ocean felt dangerous. Even splashing around in the shadows could pull him into the riptide…

He wove together several palm leaves, trying to construct some sort of roof to give himself shade. While he worked on the inside of the tent it was hot, an oven. He sweat through his shirt. While he worked on the outside the sun beat down on him. The wind doesn’t often blow but it offers a relieving coolness from the harsh sun.

Sans wondered where on the surface they were. Did humans travel past these parts? How long it will take to get off this rock. Gulls sing about in the sky, screeching about something. A few of them have gathered. Sans guessed they're already targeting the group as dead meat.

On the shore, flopping about against a barry of waves is the raft. Its made of a lot of drift wood, broken coral, seaweed and clumps of leaves… if he just left it flailing about in the waves it would go to waste. But Sans had been a bit fearful of the water to drag the wreckage inland.

"Hey shorty, get over here!" Grillby calls. Sans looked at the raft, thinking it could do a bit longer without attention and got up from his pile of sticks to walk towards their group. "Captain Undyne, tell him what you told us." Grillby nods at her, urging her to speak. Some hierarchy here has already been developed. Sans looked to undyne now, who stands from their circle and speaks in a bellowing voice as if she were in court.

"Sans, Is it true that at sunset two nights ago you spoke to this fish man?"

Sans shrugged a little. "Yes…? You spoke to him too, Undyne. "

"LIES!" Undyne yells abruptly, "The beast looked at you when he spoke. Sister, Muffet, do you agree that this interaction between myself and the fish man is void due to this fact?" She pauses and looks to her right where Muffet makes a jaunty nod. “Eye contact is important.” She says all the while each of her eyes blink at different intervals.

Undyne continues her report as though she had a duty to speak. Sans stared dumbly at them. These monsters were older than him and yet they were acting like children. It wouldn’t be long before they grabbed a magic conch shell and started asking it for advice. Grillby with his chin held high. Muffet,w hose eyes move from me to the fish man as if she feared us. Alphys who sits with her eyes closed, sighing as if she were bored. And Undyne who continues to speak as if this were a gospel church. "Then by majority vote of this group it has been decided that Sans is no longer a real monster. Hereby he is officially a zombie and must be under surveillance at all hours."

“Agreed.~” Comes the chorus of the four of them.

"I volunteer to watch traitor, Sans." Alphys says suddenly. She still held up her hand, her permission to speak, and turned to Grillby to see what he thought of this. Grillby nodded his head, approving of the action. At this point Sans can’t help the scowl aimed at the group of adults. _What the heck is going on? It's hardly been a day and they're already organizing a court? We havent even built a shelter, or a fire. Isnt there better stuff to do than pick on me? And what do they mean I'm no longer a monster. A zombie?! Couldn’t they come up with a different excuse?_

"Excuse me? " Sans raised my voice, but still remained passive. He’d humor this little game if they would just help him. "Why am I a traitor?"

Undyne whispers to him, even though the entire group can hear. "You're not a traitor per say, you’re a zombie." _Huh?_ Sans gave her a dubious look, his jaw hung half open in askance. Undyne whispered loudly to him again. "When the fishman speaks to you, it takes your soul… so… you’re a zombie. "

 _Is this what she was going on about earlier? I thought these monsters would know better than to believe in fairytales. … then again, there's a mermaid only 10 feet away from where I stand._ Sans doesn't dare to look back at Papyrus, out of fear of ‘conspiring’ against the mad driven group. _Regardless… I have to tell them straight out,_ "I’m not a zombie. Why would you-."

Muffet speaks up now, raising her arms to have the floor to speak. It seems to be an odd system they’ve built, she interrupted Sans as he talk. "Not yet, but you will be when the beast wakes up!"

Sans couldn’t believe this. He heaved a sigh.

"Aren't you all too old for these kind of superstitions?" _I can't believe this, Undyne and Alphys have fallen into this cult._ "Can you stop spreading tall tales and help me build a shelter? We're going to be stuck here for a while, can't you at least start a fire? I mean- honestly, you lot are older than I am! Why do I have the most common sens- " A curt shriek sounds now, startling all of them. It quiets all conversation and disrupts the circle as everyone jumped to their feet. They all turn to the fish man who has started awake so suddenly. Papyrus tried to tear apart the leaves that bind him and the group watched as he struggles to get free. He can't.

So instead he squirmed futilely in the sand, and tried to crawl inch by inch towards the water. He isn't very elegant on land at all. With his arms tied to his back and a gag of stripped bark in his mouth he can only flap his fins about trying to get close to the water. He’s unable to get very far. All his flapping only results in making him dryer- sand clung to him and clogs up a gill on his hip. He screamed again, a muffled frustrated and angry yell. His scales that were once red and pink and sparkled like diamonds have become duller, a faint green starts at the edges and stains the color. Alphys pulls Sans back suddenly as the group of men lurch forward to handle the escaping prisoner.

"Be quiet. " Alphys whispered. "Don’t speak out against Grillby, or you'll be tied up too. This is the only way." She urged Sans to remain calm, a small squeeze against his shoulder reminds him he has one ally still. Sans took those words to heart. Alphys hardly ever speaks out but she had always looked out for his well being. She holds him tight, knowing Sans would lash out if she didn’t press her will forward. “Don’t go.” Sans bites his tongue. Alphys had inside information from the group, her warnings were gold.

They watch in horror as Grillby pulls Papyrus’s head back by sticking a finger in his eye socket and yanking back, forcing the fishmonster to sit up. While his eye cannot manifest, Papyrus screamed in pain and tried to flail about to escape. Muffet stood on his left. Undyne on his right. The three of them summon their magic and showcase it to the other. Grillby takes the lead, summoning a ball of fire in his hand and rolled it into a condensed fireball he held it up to the only other eye socket Papyrus could see through. all at once the screaming stops and a low whimper fills the air.

"You know what this is huh? Magic’s alot more scarier than fishing hooks..." Grillby laughs. " You better stay put fish boy." He throws Papyrus across the sand now, where he falls on his side. Ribcage shuddering for a breath. Grillby walks up to him, Undyne and Muffet follow in his shadow and they kick him in the ribs.

The act continues until Papyrus remained still and blood stained the sand.

Sans looked away. That much blood is enough to make anyone sick… but to him the fresh vivid memories of the lab surfaced. Leather and metal bound him down, a scalpel tore into his ribs. Sharp objects separated and stitched to lengthen bone. His father was a kind man towards the end. He didn’t start that way. Gaster was a man of science… and the project always came first.

Alphys held onto his shoulder. Guiding him the same way the doctor would have. She is just as smart. Just as manipulative and cunning. She knows this is the best route of action. And Sans knew, despite how everyone else teamed up against him- Alphys was still looking out for him.

But even through her callous shell she can't sit still while a defenseless monster gets a beating. She grit her teeth to remain quiet. Alphys isn't weak. Nervous and social awkward… maybe… but with her level she should be able to quell this madness. And if she started a revolt, Undyne would no doubt join her friends… So why does she remain so quiet? Sans wondered. Why does she allow this to go on?

It's because they are unarmed. Even if Undyne helped… Even if it was 3 against one- they wouldn't stand a chance. Sans had never fought in the underground. Neither had Alphys, despite her outward level The only one with experience of fighting was Undyne. And she wasn’t even a guaranteed party member. . The three of them; Grillby, Muffet, and Undyne are all bewitched by Papyrus. He is different. They can't help but bully the monster that saved their lives. Sans can't stand it.

"Don’t even think about escaping, understand? Huh? Whats with that damn look?!" Grillby laughs, the purple hues of his flame seem to spark with his laughter. Even from a few yards away on the beach, Alphys and Sans hear a sickening squelch of blood from between his knuckles as a hit connects with the crunch of breaking bone.He licks it off his fist, believing the blood would make him stronger. He lands a final punch and drops Papyrus. He hits the ground hard, the thufd of his bodyweight shook the sand they sit on. Blood swells his cuts and bruises. Muffled cries fill the air.

It's only now that Alphys stands. "Sans has proved himself to be of sane mind. He hasn’t rushed to the demons side even when it was in pain. If its brainwashing powers only activated when it gained consciousness, then Sans would have rushed to its side immediately on telepathic command to untie it."

_Telepathic? Are they just getting carried away now? This is a living being, with his own sophisticated language. Am I the only one who is thinking straight? What the hell is wrong with these people?!_

Alphys, again, pats his shoulder. Now confidant she had somehow protected Sans from the other savage members. Sans balks… a stray throught notes that this tactic must have worked, because he is not lying face down in his own blood right now, unlike Papyrus.

 _Maybe… the wetness of blood is good for him._ Sans tried to convince himself but it wasn’t working. . Grillby is giving him a hard stare. Something that fills Sans with newfound fear. When Grillby smirks a little its only then that Sans realises this bloody show was a lesson for him as well. For all of them- not to step outside their place. He was a wild beast here. More than in the underground… here he had more power than the king and a small army of scared loyal followers. He could play king of the land until they were rescued… if they were rescued.

He has been sizing Sans up this whole time. Satisfied with both the fear driven into his features and Alphys’s logic he accepts the fact that Sans is not turned into a hypnotic slave. He scoffs in that moment and turns his head. He and his entourage start to walk in the opposite direction now, heading for the tent structures.

"Clean up this mess, newbie."

And like that- Sans was accepted into their club.

….

…

They begin picking apart the tools Sans used for the shelter and they work on it together, not bothering to give the frightened skeleton another look.

 _I don’t understand._ Sans trembled. He felt a wetness in his pants that he wasn’t sure was the tide coming in or something much more sickening. _These are all adults, why are they like this? Why am I the only one who feels remorse for the whimpering monster on the ground? How could they do this to someone who can’t even move? What kind of monsters are they!?_

"You can move now," Alphys whispers to him. "Help Papyrus up, I'll get some sea water." She leaves his side. Sans’s eye lights followed Alphys as she left, as a child would clinging for their mother. He hadn’t even noticed Alphys was still by his side but now that she had moved away from him the void of her absence filled him with fear. His eyes frantically searched for her figure against the shore line. He stared out at her, surprised how easily she could stay so composed when Sans was absolutely lost for words. He fell forward to his knees. Looking at worn and tattered clothing he’s never been so glad to be alive. He could be dead but he’s alive and his savior is no more than six feet from him. _Why does no one else feel the same way? Why only me?_

He twist his neck to get a good look at the whimpering skeleton fish creature who saved their lives. His face is a bloody mess. All of him is a bloody mess. Burns from grillby’s fingers have slashed through that right eye socket and left permanent marks. Sans thinks he even lost a tooth, but can't tell since the gag blocks his mouth from sight.Stinging black and blue marks appear on his chest and face.

Sans shuffled on his hands and knees and crawled to Papyrus’s side,rolling him over so he can breath. He does so with a sharp inhale through his nose and a muffled cough through the mock gag. Papyrus cries and coughs blood rolls out from the corners of his mouth, through the cracks in his jagged teeth. Sans picked him up and let him lean on his shoulder but through the coughing fits Papyrus still tried to squirm away. Doing his best to fight against Sans until he blacks out from blood loss.

A moment later Alphys came around, holding a palm leaf pooled with a little water. Sans understood even without words, he positioned Papyrus’s chin back and let Alphys pour water on his face. It was meant to wash away the blood but it only leaves streaks through the congealed sandybloody mud on his face. The water doesn't help clear his face, but it does alert him to act.

He's startled awake, fading in and out of consciousness. He thrashes against Sans, his large tail kicks up sand and he falls backward.. His hands are bound behind him though so he can't even raise them to block his face. He thinks he will be struck again. He whimpers at the mere thought.

Sans is horrified.

Almost completely paralyzed until Alphys pushed into his hands the leaf of water, it spills a little onto his shirt. Alphys rolled up her sleeves and walked around Papyrus’s long tail to cradle the boy. With a soft voice, Alphys sings a lullaby. One that used to put Sans to sleep. It seems to soothe Papyrus. His crying becomes reduced to sniffling in minutes.

Alphys unties the gag at his mouth and picks him up. She motions for the water from Sans now that the monster is calm and carefully it is passed over. Slowly she pours water into his mouth. Papyrus swallows it obediently, even though it's salt water. _I wonder if he can drink something like that without becoming dehydrated like humans. Doesn’t matter._ As soon as he's finished with what little droplets were in the palm leaf Alphys tells Sans to grab a piece of fruit to help nourish him as well.

He grabs a mango. Alphys feeds him. A cycle is continued in quiet.

Papyrus is completely compliant in his arms, calm, and eats gingerly from his hands. He seems broken. This small amount of kindness seems to have warped his mind. Papyrus falls asleep in her arms as she sings a soft song again. Its almost as if Alphys herself was the siren.

"He's asleep." I say in awe.

"Naturally." Alphys hums . "When a child cries they need to be held, when a man cries it's no different." He lays Papyrus down on the sand to sleep and rolls down her sleeves again. "Grillby is from the Underground." She reminds him in a soft voice. "He wasn’t hiding like we were in those labs. He fought. He’s a survivor and he’s a murderer. There is no common sense with him. Love changes how a monster can think and act… I know. You know. But Love doesn’t make a person violent… it just helps them grow into a new form with a higher capacity for skills. This is who he is. He’s a brute. And he's rallied a group to uphold his warped logic. Rather than blatantly opposing, we have to obey. It will be easier to convince him if we are friends, rather than enemies. "

_When did Alphys sound so reliable?_

“I see your point, but I can't imagine being friends with that jerk wad.” He exhales a long breath through his nasal cavity, producing a low whistle. “Okay. I’ll play nice. If I can save this guy then I'll have returned the favor for my own life.” He agreed with Alphys for the moment. She is right. She's always been right. Alphys has been his caretaker, nurse, friend, guardian, and like a mother to him. he trusted her. No one had been by his side longer. He shook his head, agreeing with her.

Sans looked over at the fish kill team and was amazed that the three of them not only finished building the hut but that they were already building another one. If only this coordination and communication had been put to work sooner they could have avoided a fight.

Papyrus breathes heavily through his mouth in his sleep.Snoring, or perhaps choking down air from wherever he could. _I wonder if there are more of his kind._ Fishermen and traders have spread stories and myths of such creatures, but to see one for real is just … confusing for him. If other skeletons existed on the surface… underwater maybe other legendary creatures existed too. Monsters that were never sealed underground… monsters that hid from humans yet still lived among them.

Papyrus was tall, but not older than Sans. _Looks like he’s around my age… maybe he’s younger. That is, if fish people age the same way we do. For all I know he could be a hundred… but that still doesn’t make this right_. 

"Sans." Alphys interrupted his thoughts but doesn’t say anything until Sans realized, eventually, she is waiting for my response. He gave her his attention at once with a small hum. "Why do you think that Papyrus saved us? In this whole ocean… why did he stumble upon us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Fish school together. Humans… monsters… animals… even a lone wolf will form a pack. Right?" She spared a glance over to look at the trio who are busily jamming twigs and branches into something resembling a roof. Desperately using what little remained of the sunlight. When she looks back at Sans he see’s something in her eyes akin to the excitement she held from watching an anime. Only her tone is much- much more dour. "Do you believe Papyrus was really alone when he rescued us?... Perhaps there are others. Even now, out on the horizon… watching us, watching the brutality their friend had to endure just now. They are sure to retaliate… "

Sans snapped his neck to look out to the ocean. Fear suddenly surges through him.

Fear of the unknown.

They are surrounded by an unknown enemy. Surrounded on all sides by water. This tiny island will only become smaller with high tides and tropical storms. Sans had a new reason to fear the water… its opacity and depth. Alphys continues, a new thought reaching her.

"Or perhaps…” Her inquisitive mind is unraveling this as she goes along.Her hypothesis long overdue in a field of work she had abandoned… now that trepidation of exploration and fear threatened to bubble over. “ What if … Papyrus was truly was alone. Alone in this big ocean and, lets say -on a whim, decided to save us. We have to wonder… We have to ask… Why was he alone Sans? Was he merely too far from others on an afternoon stroll? Could he have been lost on his way home? Or do you think… he was abandoned. Like us. Exiled from his own people. Stranded…. Left to die. "

"Why do you…"

"He's malnourished." Alphys says suddenly.

 _What? I look down at Papyrus. It might be true, I mean, he is just bones -heh. But Alphys didn’t seem to the be kind to joke right now. Not after all the blood shed we just watched._

His eyes scan lower, towards Papyrus’s long shimmering tail, where the bones of his lower skeleton protruded through the soft ecto like flesh. Sans didn’t think much of it at first, just thought he was slender. He didn’t know anything about their anatomy either, but whether it’s a or human or a dog that physique is certainly unhealthy. And he looks nearly just like a skeleton monster from the top half. There is nothing that sticks out to Sans as odd. Perhaps the strange thing about him would be his unkempt sharp nails and teeth.

Alphys puts the sleeping monster down on the beach and leans back on the sand to absorb the last setting rays of sunlight. Her heavy clothing seemed to absorb the sun, she was likely hot in all those layers but as a cold blooded monster the warmth was welcoming to her.

A cool breeze from the west brings the scent of rain.

The sun is setting in the distance.

Behind them the sounds of the island come to fruition:

Gulls, warthogs, bats… the steady white noise of the waves crashing onto the beach. ‘

The half hiccup cough from his sleep.

…

Silence ensues.

\----------------¯\\(ツ)/¯----------------¯\\(ツ)/¯----------------¯\\(ツ)/¯----------------¯\\(ツ)/¯----------------

Papyrus wakes on the beach in the early dawn of sunlight. He couldn’t muscle up the strength to move so he lied on his side, unable to look away from the sunrise on the horizon. Another day had passed. Another day… surrounded by _savages_.

It hadn’t even been a week since he had gotten this forgotten crew to land and yet, in their warped gratitude, they had _imprisoned_ him. Tied him up like some _beast…_ and the worst part about it was that the fools were so close to civilization. If they’d only spend time to organize they’d surely see these waters were well traveled because the island was one of many within the sights of fishing boats.

Papyrus vowed not to venture further once he got them to land… he didn’t want to get caught up in a net and find himself trapped but that was exactly what happened anyhow.

He wills his eyelights to disappear so he doesn’t get blinded by the bloom of light reflecting across the water. He’d always been an early riser but all he wanted now was to sleep in until the pain stopped.

The monsters on the beach have begun to stir. They’ve built shelters for themselves and managed to gather enough food to _rot_ in the heat everyday. _Idiots_ , taking more than they need when resources were limited. If they’d left fruit on the trees it would have continued growing and stayed fresh.

There is a system in place now, a rotation of who watches over Papyrus during the day and night. The monster taking care of him is supposed to feed him and splash him with water for amusement er- ‘keeping him from drying out’. The precious glitter and glow of his scales was more important than the black and blues they scatter all over him.

He feared what they were going to do to him. He could only assume the worst. Sell him, skin him… eat him… The fire monster seemed too eager for that last one. He’d seen the way the man licked blood off his knuckles… now that he’d gotten the taste of blood there was a certain savagery awaken in him. _A hunger for more…_

Footsteps approached to wake him. Papyrus stiffened, the sound was a warning. So he kept his eyes shut tight. If he didn’t move they wouldn’t hurt him. That’s what he wanted to believe. He had to believe it…

Water splashes over him… a rude awakening. The water would have felt refreshing if he hadn’t been covered in cuts and bruises. The salt left a sting that ran through his spine. He flinched without meaning too- it was clear he was awake now.

He couldn’t pretend anymore, so slowly he let his eye lights fade in to look at today's warden.

\----

Sans woke with the noise everyone else was making at sunrise. The bed of leaves he’d made was drenched in sweat. He peeled a banana leaf off himself and wiped his forehead into his sleeve. _Why was it so hot?_ The sun had only rose and the night had not cooled off the beach at all. He emerged from his makeshift tent and looked out at the beach.

Grillby caught his attention first, arms outspread and hurtling a stream of fire at his feet. The entire beach line was on fire. _Hell, maybe that's why it was hot._ Sans ran over in a panic.

“What are you doing?! You need smoke for anyone to see us, you can’t just burn sand! Out of any of us you should know that!”

“I ‘aint _burning_ sand. I’m _melting_ it. I’m gonna make some glass. Muff was complaining that its color was dull so I’m making a fish bowl so our pet doesn’t dry out.”

Sans danced around from foot to foot, trying to find some comfort from where he was standing. It was even hotter beside Grillby. “Have you been… doing this all night?”

“Mhm”

If Sans had hair he’d pull it out right now. How was this asshole the leader of their bunch with an IQ of a snail? “Grillby… you're making the beach unbearably hot, could you stop?”

… The flames continued to pour out of his hands. Sans felt relieved he was on this side of the heat wave. Alphys had saved him from being enemies with Grillby… but not all was fixed.

It was obvious Grillby didn’t like him. Ignoring him was to be expected. Sans was a scholarly type… Grillby a brute. That's fine… if asking politely didn’t work he’d reason with him.

“Sand has to be superheated to 3,200 fahrenheit to even start melting. That's 1,760 celsius… Grillby, water boils at 100c. You’d have to make it 17 times hotter than boiled water. You're never going to make glass…” Grillby grumbles under his breath. Suddenly Sans feels the heat intensify.

It begins to get hard to breath and even harder to stand in one place. The ground starts to crackle and pop where Grillby is aiming. “I’m.. uh… going to help Alphys!” He announces to excuse himself, quickly fleeing from the heat the other exudes. Maybe he shouldn’t have gotten him irritated.

Alphys is far away from the shore. He spots her on the island rocks, braiding dry pieces of leaves into string for them to use. He waves to her, but she is so busy in her task she doesn't notice Sans. Undyne is still sleeping, having exhausted herself with the watch all night. Muffet is on duty today. Sans spots her lording over the prisoner, her multiple hands on her hips as she nudges the merman with her foot.

She is saying something to him that Sans can’t quite hear, and it's doubtful the fish skeleton would understand at all. Probably more demeaning words for their victim.

He walks along the beach, staring at shells and clams and crabs that scatter with the crashing waves. If only he wasn’t so powerless… maybe he could do something to change their situation.

He sits down eventually, bored of pacing, and makes a bone fragment out of magic - aiming it far across the horizon until it sinks into the depths of the ocean and dissipates.

“You’ll waste your magic like that…” Alphys had walked over to him and sits by the waves. She hasn’t looked up from the braid she’s working on, but her presence alone is comforting. “With hot head over there trying to melt his way to the center of the Earth, it won’t be long before he exhausts his magic reserves. He’ll need to stop. Then eat. Maybe rest. He’ll be _vulnerable…_ So you can’t run out of magic before him. _Got it?”_

Sans frowns, his teeth making him look like some wounded pumpkin on Halloween. “ I don’t ‘ _got it’_ and let's pretend you don’t either.” He buries his toes in the sand and lets the water rush over his ankles. He felt a little safer knowing he wouldn’t drown from the small waves and yet the land wasn’t safe either. _Both the ocean and the land wanted him dead._

“ Besides, didnt you say to stay their 'friend'? I doubt ive earned their trust at all. Two days ago they thought I was some zombie and I’m still not clear of that baloney charge. They don’t trust me… last thing I want to do is start something with their leader.”

“I know, its pointless and we cant fight. But you and I both know they’re going to kill Papyrus before a rescue ever comes. Muffet will skin him for gold, Grillby will fillet him, Undyne will join in… as much as I hate to admit it, she’s not the brightest bulb. A little hype and she’ll rally behind anyone. I know I said we should wait this out but...”

Sans doesn’t want to hear this right now. The hopelessness of their situation was already a reality to them. He looks out towards the horizon of water and wonders if a rescue ship will be able to see Grillby setting fire to the shore. _Probably not._

He sneaks a peak to look at the prisoner. Papyrus is currently being appraised. Muffet has pulled his tail over her lap so she can get a good look at it, while his top half is stuck to the palm tree. Any flopping he does to get away from her gets him more stuck to the web, so he’s stopped fighting. It doesn’t look like Muffet’s doing anything painful at least, she takes a long thorn she’s found to pick the crust off his scales and cleans around each crevice like he were a precious artifact.

Undyne eventually wakes and, upon command, heads to the jungle. She comes back moments later, toting an armful of logs and hands them off to Grillby as he devours them one by one.

Sans is disgusted by the sight. He turns back and faces the shore. _Was that a boat? No way… too tiny. Must be a mirage._

Before he knows it, he’s spent all afternoon staring at the shore simply lost in thought. It's only when Muffet taps his shoulder that he snaps to his senses. She prods him with one of her hands while with the others stretching and yawning.

Sans turns around and gives her his full attention while she yawns her way to a world record. Behind her, Papyrus is absolutely glowing. After his cleaning his scales look more vibrant than before. They shine such a beautiful red that he doesn’t resemble the same monster as before. ...Even his bones appear to have been shined, though black and blues and cuts litter his form.

“Hi Muffet.” Sans greets, but he’s distracted now by the beautiful skeleton behind her.

The monster is out of breath, panting hard from what Sans assumed was a violation of his personal space after Muffet had buffed and cleaned him. With his soul exposed in his ribs, it's quite clear it had been in her control for the duration of his sterilization. It had only been returned recently, beating faster than normal as he attempts to scurry to the ocean while the guards change.

“Good afternoon Sans, Grillby told me to tell you -”

Just then his eyes meet with Sans, like a deer caught in headlights, he stops. He’s been caught and he’s not sure if he should keep struggling toward the shore or retreat back to the palm tree and await punishment. _Its pitiful._ Sans gives him a look of encouragement. He won’t tell if the monster went away. Muffet was supposed to be on watch… so Sans wouldn’t get blamed if the merman escaped on her wat-

“- it's your turn to keep watch.”

Sans snapped his eyes back up at her. “Sorry, what was that?”

“It’s your turn to keep watch. Grillby’s giving you one chance to prove yourself. Don’t fuck it up by - doing - anything -stupid… or else.” Behind her Papyrus is taking his chance back out to sea.

Sans sweats a little. _Should he be concerned over that threat? It wasn’t even a complete threat - ‘ don’t do anything stupid … or else’. It meant nothing… and surely nothing more could be worse than being stranded on an island with these three brutes…_

Papyrus is halfway to the ocean, the sand beneath him is just hard enough that he can claw through it without giving way. Its propelling him forward, the friction of the wet sand is enough to bare his weight.

_He’ll get away soon, if Sans just keeps quiet a little longer._

Muffet taps her thigh. “Honestly, I think Grillby has a taste for _marrow_ now. If he doesn’t get to gut the fish, he’ll probably go after you. You’d best not cross his path Sa-!!!”

A bone construct whizzed past her and struck the ground in front of Papyrus. The merman stops in his tracks. Glowing red eyes wide in fear as he stares down the femur that almost hit him. Muffet twirls around, catching the sight. “Woah, nice job! I didn’t even notice him crawling.” She pats Sans on the back affectionately, the way a team member might do. But Sans only grit his teeth, her words are muted. He looks at those deep crimson eyes that peer at him.

The feeling of hope, seeping from Papyrus expression. The look of mis-trust and wrongfully placed thankfulness wears down his face like a grimace, as the realisation soaks into him that he has no allies here. _He’s a prisoner._

_I’m sorry._

Sans thinks, as praise washes over him. He didnt want to be gutted again. Never again! He didn’t want to die! Not now, at least... not anymore. He’d accepted death once and was rescued from the ocean. He had a second chance to live now. A chance to change things! He can’t die here… and he can’t look the other skeleton in the eye, not after he betrayed him.

... _I’m a coward._

  


  



End file.
